Quick-action wrench.



J. J. MARKOVICH.

QUICK ACTION WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED IAN. I1, 1915.

Patented July 20, 1915.

sraras radians entree.

JOSEPH J. MABKOVIGH, 0F UNIONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

QUICK-ACTION WRENCH.

Application filed January 11, 1915. Serial in). 1,599.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in quick action wrenches. Y

The primary object of this invention is to provide a wrench after themanner of the well-known Stillson wrench but in which the outer jaw may be quickly and easily .shifted within the limitations of its movement wit-hoht the' employment of any turn nuts or other similar means.

A further object is to provide a quick action St-illson-form of wrench that consists of but few parts and is cheap and inexpensive to manufacture although possessing great strength and serviceability.

A still further object is to provide a pivoted housing upon a jaw member at the termination of the wrench handle whereby a coacting jaw member is slidably mounted for quick adjustment operatively opposed to the handle carried jaw.

lVith these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like-designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a side elevation of the device with the housing thereof shown in section. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the wrench. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken upon line life-Ill of Fig, 1, and Fig. l is a perspective view of the shiftable locking lever detached.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, it will be noted that a handle member 10 is provided terminating at one end in the jaw 11 having a serrated face 12. A housing 13 has pro ecting ears 1% at one corner thereof and by which the housing is pivotally mounted to the jaw end of the handle and adjacent one end of the jaw by means of a pin 15. it lasing noted that the adjacent cornerof the handle end has .a laterally projectlng curved portion 16 which is received within a cut-out portion 17 of the housing between the said cars 14. The housing is also provided with spaced fingers 18 at the opposite corner of the housing from the ears 1e and the shank 19 of the handle is freely positioned between the said fingers. A longitudinal passage or opening 20 is provided through the said housing in which the shank 21 0f the coiiperatin'g ,or outer jaw 22 is fipeciflcationof Letters Eatent. P t t a J l 24} 1915 i slidably mounted which latter jaw has a serrated face 23 coiiperatingly positioned opposing the handle jaw face 12. j A slot 24 is provided through the outer curved side 25 of the housing communicating with the passage 20 thereof and a locking lever 26 is pivoted within the said slot upon a transversely extending pin 27 secured to the housing. The jaw shank 21 is provided with teeth 28 upon one edge thereof adapted to be engaged by similar teeth 29 upon the adjacent end of the lever 26, while the said lever terminates at one end in a single spaced tooth or.'fing'er- 30 which engages. a separate tooth of the jaw rack at a point outside of the housing. so that the housing -wall 31 at one end of the slot 24 is between the lever finger and the teeth 29 and engages with. one of the teeth 28 simultaneously with the engagement of teeth 29. it being noted. that the engaging end of the finger 30 is of greater width than either the lever or the shank 21 and teeth 28 and being also greater than the width of the said slot 24:.

be quickly shifted by releasing the locking I lever while the two jaws are then readily placed in engagement with the work by slightly rocking the housing upon its pivotal connection with the wrench handle. For disengaging the wrench from the work the lever handle 32 is pressed inwardly which releases the outer jaw 22 so that the wrench is readily removed from the work.

While the form of the invention herein shown and described is what is believed to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope 'of the invention as claimed.

What I claim asnew is 1. A device of the class described comprising a handle terminating in a serrated jaw, a housing pivoted to the said jaw end of the handle and having a longitudinal opening therethrough, and aside slot communicating with the said opening, a shiftable jaw oppositelyarranged with respect to sai handle jaw and having a toothed shank slidably mounted in said housing opening, a lever pivotally mounted within the said slot and having a toothed inner portion in normal engagement with the teeth of the said rack, aprojecting toothed finger at one end of the said lever-positioned exteriorly of the housing and normally engaging a tooth of the said rack, and resiliently normal positioning means secured to the said housing within the said slot and being in constant engagement with the said locking lever.

the said slot, 'a locking lever pivoted within the .said slot and having a toothed portion normally projecting within the housing opening in engagement with the said shank teeth, and a projecting toothed finger at one end of the lever of greater width than and spaced from thetoothed portion of the lever and being in normal contact with a tooth of the shank exteriorly of the housing and upon an opposite side of the end of the housing from the afore-mentionedteeth of the lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 1

A. W. House, I W. C. MULLAN. 

